Flexible-form printing machine



A-CASE Filed sept. 29. 1925 FLEXIBLE FORM PRINTING MACHINE AfQ/ZW Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

-PATENT oFFlcE. f

Arminia caen, or .masmr om, :mw amsn.

mmm-roam rnmrme neem Application mea september 2a, 192s. serial No. 365,675.

To all whom 'it may concern.:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR CASE, a o1tizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F lexible-Form Printing Machines, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact specificatlon.

This invention relates `to mechanism for printing from flexible fiat forms, such as photographic lilms, or other forms of a similar character, and it has for its ob]ect to provide simplified and improved means for conducting a web of paper 1n a continuous strip into and out of contact with the flexible form.

Another object is to provide improved means for carrying and inking the form from which the impression is made on the paper web. A further object is to provide for washing excess ink from the prlnting form before it is engaged by the web of paper. Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute p art of this specification, and then more specifically dened in the claims at the end of the de- Y scription.

The accompanying drawing is a longitudinal vertical section of an endless formcarrying belt with the associated mechanism for inking and washing the form and conducting a web ofpaper into and out of contacttherewith.

The web-of paper 1, on which the printing is to be done, is led from a roll 2 between feed rollers 3 and around an impression roll 30 which is mounted on a suitable supporting frame 4 immediately below a larger roll 5 also mounted on said support-A ing frame and`serving as one end support for the form-carrying metallic belt 7. The other end of said belt is supported on a similar roll 6 mounted on a supporting frame 9, said rolls 5 and 6 being spaced apart suiiiciently to hold said belt 7 substantially taut and in true horizontal position, so as to insure the proper feeding or movement of said belt when the roll 5 is hesive. Pure liquid ink or dye of any suitable composition may be applied to the printing form or film 8 by way of pipe 11, from which it is forced in sprays 12 upward from below the lower bight of the belt as indicated in the right hand portion of the drawing. The ink employed in carrying out the invention is a true iuid or liquid ink or dye, and is to be distinguished from the more or less pasty, heavy mass known as printers ink. applied to the under face of the film by rollers 13 arranged within the dye or ink pan 14 and engaged with the under face of the said film. These rollers, in addition to assisting in an equal distribution of dye over the surface of the iilm as it travels toward the pressure rolls 5-30, assure the film of being thoroughly saturated with dye in excess volume. Presser rolls 15 are arranged above the lower bight of the belt 7 in vertical alinement with the inking rolls 13 for holding the printing form in contact with saidinking rolls, as shown in the lefthand portion of the drawing. 'The two inking means illustrated may be used together or separately accordingly as required.

The impression roll 30 is arranged close enough to the belt-carrying roll 5 to insure the pressing of the paper web 1 into contact with the printing form 8 on said belt at the point where said belt and form pass between said rolls 30 and 5. The printing is thus accomplished at this point where the web of paper is pressed into contact with the printing form below the roll 5. Said paper web 1 remains in contact with the printing form from this point toa point adjacent the roll 6 where it is separated from said form by the take-ofi:` rolls 10.

` In order to remove excess ink from the form 8 before the web of paper 1 is pressed into contact therewith, a jet of washing lliquid 17, which may consist of pure water is sprayed `from -a pipe 16 under suitable pressure into the point of contact between said printing form and paper web, that is, between the adjacent surface of the rolls 30 and 5. In this way clear impressions may always be obtained and smeared copies avoided.4

It is to be observed that the upper and lower bight portions of the belt 7 and film 8 travel Itogether in true horizontal direction. The dye is projected upon the lower surfaceiof the traveling film an appreciable This dye or lnk may also be distance in advance of the pressure rolls 5-30. This permits of sufficient time to elapse between the projection of dye and the first impression for the dye to become evenly distributed over the surface of the film. The application of dye is made in quantity in excess of that required, and immediately at the point of contact of the film with the web to be printed, the washing or cleaning action takes place. The cleaning jets project their streams upon the film while the latter is still in horizontal position, and are so regulated that the cleaning fluid is distributed in true uniformity over the entire surface of the film. This operation causes excess quantities of dye to be removed from the film exactly at the point of printing contact, and is carried out in such manner as not to remove too much dye and to obviate smudges or spotted printed surfaces on the web. The web is kept in intimate contact with the film throughout its travel around roll 5 and in the horizontal travel of the upper bight of the film, and when taken off or out of contact with the film at a oint beyond roll 6, a perfect printing will ave been accomplished.

I claim:

1. The combination with a continuous flexible belt, of one or more developed photographic films carried by said belt, means for applying liquid'dye to a downwardly disposed surface of said film, and means for applying a web to said film subseqlent to the ink applying operation said we being held in contact with the film throughout a substantial art of its travel.

2. The combinationl with a continuous flexible belt, of a film carried by said belt, means for presenting a web into contact with said film said web traveling in contact therewith throughout a substantial part 'of its travel, means for applying dye to said film prior to its engagement with said web, and means for washing said lm substantially at the point of contact with the web therewith.

3. The combination with an endless flexible belt, of a photographic film attached thereto, means for applying ink to said film when on the lower bight of the belt, means for resenting a web of paper into contactwitlli) the inked film, and means for washing the film at its point of contact with said web.

4. The combination with an endless, flexible belt, of rolls for su porting said belt, means for rotating lone o said rolls for roducing a continuous movement of said elt, aprinting form secured to said belt, means for inking said form, an impression roll arranged below one of the belt-carrying rolls for pressing 'a web of paper into contact with said ferm, and means for takin-g of! the paper web adjacent the other belt-supportmg roll.

5. The combination with an endless, flexible belt, of rolls for supporting the same, means for rotating one of said rolls for causing a continuous movement of said belt, a printing form attached to said belt, means for inking said form, an impression roll for pressing a web of paper into contact with said form where it asses around one of the belt-supporting rol s, and means for spraying a washing fluid directly-into the point of contact of said paper web with said form between said impression roll and the adjacent belt-supporting roll.

6. The combination with an endless, flexible belt, of rolls for supporting said belt, means for rotating one of said rolls for causing a continuous movement of said belt,

a printing form secured to said belt, means for applying ink to said form from below the lower bight of Ithe belt, an im ression roll arranged belowsonanf the ltsupporting rolls for pressing a web of pa er into contact with the printing form a ter the latter has been inked, and means for spraying a washing fluid directly into the point of contact of said paper web and printing form between said impression roll and the adjacent belt-supporting roll.

7 The combination with an endless flexible belt, of rolls for supporting said belt, means for rotating one of said rolls for producing a continuous movement of said belt, a developed photographic film detachably secured to said belt, means for inking said film, an impression roll arranged vertically below one of the belt-carrying rolls for pressing a web of paper into contact with said film for printing therefrom, said film travellin in a horizontal plane from the ink applymg operation to the point of contact with said web..

8. In a device for rinting directly from develo ed photograp ic film, the combina- 110 tion o a form carrying belt, means for applying liquid dye or ink to said form, on the horizontal bight thereof, and means for washing off the excess dye or ink from said form, at a point of printing contact of the 115 form and the paper to be printed upon.

9. In a device for printin directly from a developed photographic lm, a pair of pressure rolls having their axes arranged in a vertical plane, a flexible belt, a photo- 120 graphic film, said belt and film travelling in a horizontal direction and vadapted to pass between said rolls, one of said rolls presenting a web of paper into contact with the film and means for applying liquid 'dye to 125 said film an appreciable istance in advance of said rolls.

10. In a device for printing directly from a v photographic film, a horizontally travelling belt, a 'developed photographic film 19 carried by the under surface of said belt, a pair of vertically disposed pressurer rolls to receive said belt and film, one of said rolls presenting a web of paper between the rolls and in contactwith the under face of said film and means for a plying a liquid dye to the under surface o said film.

11. In a device for printing directly from a developed photographic film, a pair of pressure rolls, a horizontally traveling belt, a film disposed against and-- carried by the under face of said belt and entering between said rolls with said form, means for applying a liquid 'dye to the under surface' of said film, one of said rolls presenting a web of paper between said rolls and in contact with the under face of said film, and means for projecting a cleaning fluid upon the under surface of said film at the point of contact between saidrolls, said point .of contact being in the same horizontal plane with the ink applying means.

l2. In a device for printin directly from a developed photographic lm, a pair of carrier rolls varranged in horizontal alinement, an endless belt passing over said rolls, one or more developed photographic films secured to the outer face of said belt with their emulsion faces disposed outwardly and traveling with the belt, a pressure roll cooperating with' one of the carrier rolls upon the under face thereof, means for ap-v plying liquid dye to said film in advance of its entry between saidcarrier and pressure rolls, means for passing a web around said pressure roll an presenting the same to the outer face of said film, a cleaning jet directed against the under face of said film at its point of entry'between said carrier and pressure rolls, and means for holding said web in contact with said film throughout a substantial part of its travel.

13. In a device for printing directly from a developed photographic film, a `pair of carrier rolls arranged in horizontal alignment, a belt passing around said rolls, one or more developed photographic films secured to the outer face of said belt with their emulsion faces disposed outwardly, and traveling with the belt, a receptacle for .holding liquid ink or dye disposed below said belt, one or more ink rolls disposed below said belt, so their lower surface will dip into the dye, and their upper surface will come into contact with the film on said belt, and weight or pressure rolls disposed above, and resting upon said belt directly above the ink rolls, to hold the film surface in contact with said ink rolls and to further insure an even distribution of dye over the filmv surface.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR CASE. 

